No More Tears! | A SOAP devotional, By Pastor Jamie

 

Revelation 21:1-7- Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

As we read all the way to the end of the story, we get to see what final victory in Jesus' return looks like. God wins at every point along the way in history, even though there were, are, and will be many battles to fight. The truth is, however, God wins here and now and there and then! In these verses we see John's vision from God of a new heaven and a new earth where God not only wipes away every tear from the eyes of those who have kept the faith through trials and suffering, but now these believers get to inhabit a place where death and tribulation have once and for all been finally defeated and God fully reigns. This picture of final victory helps prepare us for the first coming of Jesus as fully human and fully God.

I invite you to imagine the way these words would have encouraged first century followers of Jesus as they faced intense persecution and an unknown future. This vision serves to help us remain faithful to our end as well. Yes, there is pain, suffering, tears, and death here and now, but one day that will all be taken care of by our God, who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The One who entered into human history, Jesus, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, communicates His compassion for us through His incarnate presence with us as we suffer, and when He returns in final victory, He will redeem all of our pain. Immanuel...God is with us!

O Lord, I look forward to the day when death is finally defeated and there is no more sin, pain, suffering, and tears! As we anticipate the vanquishing of all evil at the end of time, give us strength and courage to do things on earth here and now as they are done in heaven for Your glory that people will be pointed to Jesus, the Incarnate One. Amen.

 

"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." (Matthew 24:36),

 

Pastor Jamie

 

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